I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
John 10:11 CSB
First, I want to share some of the backstory of this artwork’s preparation process.
Back in 2019, I had my heart set to use 10x20 canvases to depict all seven I AM statements in Book of John. Back then, I only new one Art Supply Shop and they only sold 10x20 canvas in pack of 6.
I lacked one more to complete all 7 I AMs.
It was on the day of Christmas. My friend got bunch of art supplies for me as a Christmas gift. One of which was 10x20 canvas! She did not know about my I AM project that I was about to start in January 2020.
I used this gifted canvas for The Good Shepherd. So if you see this artwork in person, you will see that different type of canvas has been used.
Praise to be our Good Shepherd who knows our need and provides in such a timely and unexpected ways! Not only that but He is a Good Shepherd who laid down His life, just like how I intended to symbolize in this artwork.
Enjoy rest of your reflection as you listen to this music, Qing Qing Ting. This is an arrangement of a Chinese Praise Song that praises God as our Great Shepherd.
Heart behind this painting
& reflection
/laid down his life/
The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
John 10:11b
The cut-down tree in this artwork portrays Christ willingly laying down His life on behalf of us, His sheep. He was cut down from life and actually died. In doing so, He took all our sins upon Himself.
May we be reminded of how He willingly laid down His life for us, His sheep, even though He had the power not to do so, as evident here:
So Pilate said to him, “Do you refuse to speak to me? Don’t you know that I have the authority
to release you and the authority to crucify you?” “You would have no authority over me at all,”
Jesus answered him, “if it hadn’t been given you from above.
John 19:10, 11a
/he cares like no other/
The hired hand, since he is not the shepherd and doesn’t own the sheep, leaves them and runs away when he sees a wolf coming. The wolf then snatches and scatters them. This happens because he is a hired hand and doesn’t care about the sheep. John 10:12-13
Our Shepherd is not a hired hand; He sees us as His own, dear to His heart. Therefore, we don't have to feel like we need to pay Jesus with good words and deeds to feel secure in Him. He will never run away nor forsake us. The ball is always in our court, whether to return to Him or to be away from Him.
/he knows us/
I know my own, and my own know me. John 10:14b
No matter where we are in our journey with Christ, deep within our hearts, we recognize Him.
He is the one who created us, and His fingerprints are all over us, whether we acknowledge them or not.
He knows and understands our condition better than we do. He knows how we are desperately need His mercy and salvation.
Just as depicted in this artwork, without being connected to source of Life (our Good Shepherd), we are like lifeless branches dispersed on the ground.
/he resurrected/
This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life so that I may take it up again.
No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have the right to lay it down, and I have the right to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”
John 10:17, 18
He not only laid down His life but also resurrected, now wielding His authority to give life to those who receive Jesus, the one who is ABLE and possesses the authority to resurrect the dead. Thus, from the cut-down tree emerges a golden tree, permeated with LIFE.
As He explicitly stated, He did take up life again and resurrected.
From the lifeless branch forth a golden tree, symbolizing resurrected and glorified Christ. With the same authority, He also raises us from death to life, depicted by the gold flacks adorning tiny gold trees.
/he shed his blood for us/
Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus
—the great Shepherd of the sheep—through the blood of the everlasting covenant, equip you with everything good to do his will, working in us what is pleasing in his sight,
through Jesus Christ,
to whom be glory forever and ever.Amen.
Hebrew 13:20, 21
I have chosen red as the main color for this artwork to symbolize the blood of the lamb shed for us.
May the this benediction (Hebrew 13:20, 21) ring true in our lives in all that we do.
Artwork & Music & Story by Keiko Iris Yamada
Music Director at Vine International Fellowship
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